Juuuust kidding, of course. We would never discredit James Dean's iconic performance in the classic film, which has continued to be both culturally and historically significant well into the twenty-first century. However, "Rebel Without A Cause" didn't always have its leading man.

While it's hard to imagine anyone but Dean in the role, another '50s heartthrob was also vying for the part. In this rare video, unearthed by our pals at IndieWire, we get a chance to see a then-very-young legendary actor Marlon Brando screen-testing for the Warner Bros. flick back when he was just twenty-three years old.

Apparently, the studio had been trying to produce a film adaptation of Robert M. Linder's book since the late '40s, but things never panned out. Brando's screen test was based on some partial scripts that were ultimately scrapped and never appeared in the final version. Then, a decade later the studio re-vamped the whole project, resulting in a completely new script, new director and new cast (sans Brando).

Of course, Brando would go on to win two Academy Awards… so we're not thinking this was a huge loss. In addition, "Rebel Without A Cause" catapulted fellow actor James Dean to instant success, and serves as a timeless legacy for a life cut far too short. All's well that ends well, right? Even so, don't miss Brando's 5-minute "Rebel" moment.